GRANBY/STARNBERG, August 24, 2022

Rain disrupted play on Day 3 of the Championnats Banque Nationale de Granby, forcing multiple postponements in the matches. Despite the gloomy weather, the $53,120 ATP Challenger hard-court event was eventually able to begin its main draw, with three matches completed in singles.

Playing in his first main-draw match at an ATP Challenger, 19-year-old Canadian Marko Stakusic kicked off Tuesday’s action on Centre Court against rising-star Juncheng Shang of China. World No. 1,251 Stakusic gave the No. 6 seed a run for his money, but in the end, couldn’t match Shang’s level of play, dropping the contest 6-4, 6-4 after one hour and 55 minutes. The 17-year-old Chinese will next take on the winner of the encounter between US-American qualifier Colin Markes and his compatriot Ezekiel Clark.

Away from Centre Court, the seeded players continued to shine, as Colombian No. 10 seed Nicolas Mejia defeated Juan Carlos Aguilar of Canada 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 39 minutes. The 22-year-old South American will next play either Frenchman Maxime Janvier or Sekou Bankoura from the United States. In a contest between unseeded players on Court 1, Henry Patten of Great Britain beat US-American Kyle Seelig 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 30 minutes and awaits the winner of the first-round match between second-seeded Czech Jiri Vesely and qualifier Aidan Mayo of the United States.

Rinderknech pulls out

Meanwhile, top seed and runner-up of last week’s Odlum Brown VanOpen in Vancouver, Arthur Rinderknech of France, was forced to withdraw from the tournament He has been replaced by lucky loser Osgar O’Hoisin from Ireland.

(Non-rain) update from Granby:

No. 1 seed in the ATP Challenger event Arthur Rinderknech has withdrawn.

He is replaced by lucky loser Osgar O’Hoisin.

— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) August 23, 2022